The Ones

The Ones’ “Flawless” was a massive international hit in 2001. The number—basically, what used to be called a “bitch track,” but buffed into a far brighter electro-house sheen than the shade-throwing genre normally possessed—even secured the combo a spot on the U.K.’s Top of the Pops. Here in the trio’s hometown, though? BupkIs. Which was a bit strange, because Paul Alexander, Jojo Americo and Nashon Wooden are the personification of local nightlife’s long-gone underbelly. Alexander came to fame as one of the MCs (“Hello!”) at Jackie 60; Jojo Americo was one of downtown’s polysexual rock scene’s fiercest members; and Wooden doubled as drag queen extraordinaire Mona Foot, for crissakes.

But the combo’s long-overdue debut album is no mere throwback to the glory days of Gotham clubland. Like “Flawless” (included here), The Ones is brimming with thumping beats, bouncing synths and disco attitude. It could easily fall under into the dreaded “hipster-music” category: The vocoders and buzzy bass that practically scream “electro!” are here in spades. But thanks to sterling production work by the can-do-little-wrong A Touch of Class duo, the LP easily transcends any opprobriums. “When We Get Together” has the uplift (and falsetto vocal) of a classic Ten City track; “Superstar” is pure, string-drenched mirror-ball magic; and “Lost” is pretty much like what ambient-techno duo the Orb would sound like if they had done poppers instead of pot. And “Flawless” is absolutely—well, you know.

—Bruce Tantum